Fresh Fallen Snow
by ShyWaterAngel
Summary: He was never one to believe in soul mates, but right now he wasn't so sure. Maybe it was the way she stood underneath the moon. Maybe it was the way the moon's light highlighted her most striking features, but maybe it was the way she smiled under it.HxR
1. Only the start

**Hi, this is ShyWaterAngel. This is my newest obsession. The problem with bleach is that with all the complicated plots it's hard to really write it accurately. So I made this take after all the Aizen stuff. Pretend that Ichigo won. **

**Thanks for taking the time to read it. Please Review.**

**As for Forgotten (if you've read it) I haven't forgotten it (Yeah I get the pun :) ) I'll update that soon, that story and me have a shaky relationship and any ideas for it have evaded me like a plague.**

**Oh well, it'll come please enjoy the story.**

He was never one to believe in soul mates, but right now he wasn't so sure. Maybe it was the way she stood underneath the moon. Maybe it was the way the moon's light highlighted her most striking features, but maybe it was the way she smiled under it. A smile that caused his heart to hammer in his chest a feeling he never felt before. In a failed effort he grabbed the fabric of his shirt painfully, trying to stop the beating that pounded in his ears. Never has he felt this way. It frightened him.

He was thankful that he was hiding behind a tall tree, the shadow shielding him. Unlike her. No, the light that shined on her could never hide her-it exposed her. It made him smile a real smile-so mysterious to him. Like her.

_I wouldn't have it any other way. _

He felt slightly amused at his thoughts. He never thought of a girl like that, but what girl would notice a guy like him. Strange and cold, always angry. No one could find him attractive, no one would want too, and by no means a girl as remarkable as her. She was a fresh fallen snow, in his cold solid world of ice.

With theses pessimistic thoughts in his head, he would've left by now if it wasn't for the sound of her voice in the chilly night air. If it wasn't for that breathtaking, soft, kind, sweet voice that was hers and hers alone.

She merely whispered "It's a beautiful night" more to herself than to anyone, but it was enough snap him out of his thoughts. Enough to cause his heart to leap ten feet high. Enough to fear that she found him out, but as he turned to look at her-she was staring somewhere else.

He let out a soft sigh-a breath of relief. What would people say if they saw him-him of all people watching a girl, but she wasn't just any girl she was Rukia Kuchiki. The Kuchiki princess- sister of Byakuya Kuchiki. The girl with the most beautiful zanpakutō in all of the soul society. How could he of all people sneak in here, and watch her of all people. He felt like a stalker.

He didn't really know her. Not well at least. He talked to her many times and established a basic friendship, but that's all. So why was he standing here in her brother's garden watching her. She was just enjoying the night's air nothing more, but something called to him. It was etched inside his brain that he had to come here. It felt ancient as if this was meant to happen. That idea scared him more; predetermined fate was in no way something he would enjoy. Nobody tells Tōushirō Hitsugaya that he will do something because it was what he was supposed to do. But then again Tōushirō was naïve

In many ways he was foolish. His fate-if you call it that- was already set the moment he felt the need to come towards the Kuchiki manor. He was seeking her-even if subconsciously. Already an ancient reenactment of history was taking place, but this time the characters in the play would take a different course then the ones before. If not then they too would find themselves following in their predecessor's footsteps. One thing that could not happen again.

If Tōushirō and Rukia fall into the same pattern as so many before them have. Then they too will die. Yes, Tōushirō Hitsugaya was in fact very foolish and naïve.

He even made one mistake tonight- Rukia Kuchiki was very aware that he was there.

* * *

One of Rukia's pastimes was sneaking out in the dead of night and sitting in the garden. It was nice and far calmer then when she was in the presence of her stern brother, but tonight was different, with someone watching her she felt on edge. All ideas of tranquility and peace were shattered.

Normally she would have danced, practicing with Sode no Shirayuki, but the prying eyes that scanned every inch of her-froze her. She felt like she knew him, but the man did keep his presence well hidden. If it weren't for the cracking of that twig she wouldn't have know he was there.

She took in a deep breath and counted to three. 1-2-3 and with a voice as cold as her element she asked "Who is there, come out now"

She waited patiently for a sound. She even calmed the beating of her heart to listen-for anything.

"I know you're there, whoever you are, you have no right being here" she spoke with a dignity that fit her noble stats.

When nothing came, she felt more at ease. Calling it nerves, just a case of the spooks nothing more.

She felt like an idiot spending all that time worrying over something that wasn't even there when she-herself could be training. Now it was too late the sun was rising, and even she needed her sleep. Maybe if she slept more she would grow a few inches.

* * *

Tōushirō was worried; she hadn't moved, she was intent on standing in one place. The way she leaned her ear, the way she calmed her heart to listen-for anything. Really worried him.

Now he was the one listing and when he heard her take a deep breath count mentally to three, he felt the atmosphere drop rapidly.

"Who is there, come out now?" her voice was as cold as the element they both shared. When did she figure he was there? Did he underestimate the young death god? Should he come out? How would he state his being there?

_Yeah Tōushirō lets just tell the girl that you been standing here watching her like some deranged stalker_

This was a thought he would not follow. Instead he stood in place hitching his breath as she calmed herself.

"I know you're there, whoever you are you have no right to be here" there was that Kuchiki pride he's heard about.

It made him smile and with one quick step he disappeared.

"_For another day Rukia Kuchiki_" he whispered to himself, unknown to him that the day- for him would come too quickly.

Right now it really was just a snapped twig. She really was alone. She breathed a sigh of relief. With that she quietly snuck back into the manor, the mud on her shoes would cause chaos in the morning.

_I will find out who was watching me_ she thought as she lay in her bed, part of her felt that she was alone the whole time, but some other part said that there was someone-something, and she need to find out whom.

**Please give your honest opinion. (Should I Continue?) I feel that Tōushirō is out of character a bit, but there is a reason, oh well, Thanks for reading I really appreciate it. **

**ShyWaterAngel **


	2. A world of ice

**Hi, I finally got this on a deadline. I told myself I would try to get my chapters out at least once a week, or shorter, and I did! Cheers! For small victory. **

**Oh, and thank all of you who Review I didn't think that people would review on just my first chapter. Thanks I really really appreciate it. **

**I hope you enjoy this story and I forgot to put a disclaimer last time so on that note: I do not own Bleach.**

**Please Review. **

* * *

She was falling, the ground below coming up fast. She braced herself, placing her arms protectively in front of her, only to find her body slowing down forcing her to an upright position. She landed with a soft thud on a path of solid ice. She relaxed her arms and looked around. The path was floating high in the air. Her eyes widened, this was beyond strange for her. She often dreamt of snow, but never ice, and in this dream that's all there was.

The long path of ice in front of her seemed to stretch on for miles, but close enough she could see the end. There was an arch over the path, to her it looked like a tsunami wave had crashed over and froze midway barley curling over to the other side. An incomplete tunnel. She could see below the road and her throat seized up. Below her, there were jagged frozen pillars-one slip meant a deadly fall, and ice was never known for its great friction.

She clamed herself, and explored with her eyes the strange landscape even though the arch coved most of it. She could see the grey clouds that threaten rain. This world of pillars all there was and the road ahead of her. She took a deep breath, and began walking. Careful with each step.

She only made it a few inches, and was beyond nervous when she felt the hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned around bumping with a beautiful woman-Sode no Shirayuki.

"Oh, it's you do you know what this place is?" she asked. Said woman gave no response, but instead Rukia watched as she walked on past her. Gently and with such grace-Rukia whished she had-Shirayuki rotated her head and pointed her hand forward. To the end of the road.

_"Come, we must talk in a place were others can not hear"_ the warm and familiar voice of Shirayuki made Rukia feel more at ease. She followed still cautious with each step.

_"Do not worry as long as you hold no fear you will not fall"_ Shirayuki said softly already far ahead of Rukia. Rukia followed still a little careful, but held no fear of it. She never fell.

When Rukia first glanced at the road, she had thought it was miles long, and would therefore take a long time to cross, but that must be an illusion because in a matter of seconds she was there at the end-which in fact was a cave.

Stunning, was the only thing she could say of it. She was out of the arch-tunnel- now and there was only the dark entrance in front of her. She could she see just the top of the dome shape cave from where she was standing, and she was amazed that there was a sun in this gloomy world. It shinned and glowed making the cave look like glass, and gave the false impression that you could see inside, but the darkness was bleak. Impossible to see what was within.

_"Rukia hurry we do not have a lot of time"_ Shirayuki's soft voice whispered. Braking Rukia out of her thoughts. The Zanpakutō sprit was standing in the cave holding a blue light in the palm of her hand.

"What's going on?" Rukia asked walking into the cave. Shirayuki gave no response and instead proceeded farther into the shadows. After a few minutes Shirayuki stopped and turned towards Rukia, the light she was holding illuminating her face. Rukia thought it made her look menacing.

"_Please sit_" Shirayuki asked politely already sitting down tucking her legs under her body. Rukia followed, but not before squatting first and feeling around-still wary of were she was at. When she did sit down, Shirayuki gently tossed the light in-between them like a blue campfire.

"What is this place?" Rukia couldn't stop the question. Shirayuki looked at her and smiled a light chuckle escaping her lips.

_"Why Rukia, you can not even recognize your own heart" _

"My heart?"

_"It is quite ominous, but yes it is your heart_"

"This doesn't make sense all the times I met you before there was snow" Rukia whispered images of a world in an endless blizzard filled her mind; she couldn't believe that her heart could hold this much darkness.

"_That world of snow in which you remember is but only your mind's inner world, your power-a place were I could help you, but this place where we are now is your heart Rukia_"

"Why, is it like this?" Rukia couldn't help but ask, but she didn't quite understand.

_"You have been through a lot, but from the very beginning it started with your sister_"

"My sister" Shirayuki nodded and continued.

_"She left you even if you think you can't remember part of you did, and for that you started not to trust people you took care of yourself, never did you cry, the next time it was Renji, but he too would ask you to accept a proposal with a man you never met-even if was to better yourself- you felt betrayed, even when you were adopted the man-your bother-never once looked at you-but never did you shed a tear even with your own execution_" Shirayuki glanced at Rukia to see if she was listing when she felt sure she continued. "_You see this world of ice was built from those unshed tears, they would fall like rain seeping into that snowy world you have seen before, falling deeper and deeper into your heart, till they froze building this world_"

"But how could I cry in a society that deems it weak" She almost yelled

"_It is how you were taught, you did no wrong by acting as such, but I will say it has made you strong this place is hard and keeps your heart safe from any harm along with the cons-but Rukia do you knows why there is a sun?" _

Rukia thought for a moment on the question so many things floating in her mind, but she believed she did know. She took a deep breath and stared at Shirayuki.

"Is it my happiness?" Rukia asked.

Shirayuki smiled and replied _"In a sense yes, you saw the sun it never moves it stays here above your heart, you even thought it yourself it gave the illusion that you could she inside- even that snowy world is a delusion because this is what lies beneath, but when you went to the world of the living you met priceless friends, and that's when the sun came"_

"I see" was Rukia response, but she didn't really have much to say about it she was still perplexed by too many things, but one thing did plague her mind.

"Why, did you say _were others can't hear_, and why my heart as the place?" It was an out of place question more for changing the subject but it was what popped in her head. Shirayuki merely nodded.

_"Like I said your heart is safe, and because of that certain things can not get in, as for why you are here in the first place is because you are in grave danger Rukia_" Shirayuki's eyes never left Rukia's face- this was real, and the conversation before was all but history in Rukia's mind. She was in danger.

"G-great danger, from whom?" even as Rukia had asked she was stopped from asking more when she felt the ground shake.

"_Were out of time, we spent to much talking about this world, Renji is waking you up, please Rukia asked that captain of yours he will know, just tell him the names Hana and Kei he will understand_" Shirayuki voice shouted over the rumble-the loudest she has ever heard her Zanpakutō use.

Rukia would kill Renji when she woke up. (Figuratively speaking)

* * *

**Well that went well, don't you think? I think it is pretty good since I'm still not comfortable writing in third person. My stories always seem a little depressing. Oh, well! **

**Thanks for reading!**

**ShyWaterAngel**


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